Electrolysis apparatus



5 sheets-sheet 1 E. L. WILLISON ELECTROLYSIS APPARATUS Filed June 2l, 1933 ec. R, H935.

INVEN TOR. 2m a auf h//a/sa/v ATTORNEY.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

E. L. WlLLlsoN ELEGTROLYSIS APPARATUS Filed June 2l Der@ M), E935.

Dec m 1935 E. L.. wlLLlsoN ELECTROLYSIS AP-'PARATUS 5 sheets-sheet s Filed June 2l, 1953 -1 -iii INVEN TOR. fun 00/5f/f///50/v A TTORNEY.

ELECTROLYS I S APPARATUS Filed June 21, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR. EL n 0a/5f ML A50/v a M JL? mm f' Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES eATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to apparatus or equipment for use in performing surgical or beauty treatments of various kinds, and, in most aspects, to apparatus or equipment particularly adapted for use in removing hair from various parts of human bodies by a process known as electrolysis.

In my prior Patent 1,070,370 of August 12, 1913, I disclosed a multiple needle holder for electrolysis, embodying a base for attachment to a table or the like, and supporting a sectional standard. The arm supporting the needle holder, as disclosed in said patent, is adapted to be positioned over a chair on which the patient is Y seated .so that the needles may be applied to the part from which the hair is to be removed. 'Ihe needles were electrically connected to one side of a battery by electric wires and connectors, and the patient was connected toy the other side of the battery by holding a wet sponge connected to the battery to complete a circuit through the patient when one or more needles were inserted.

While the foregoing features of construction and operation as disclosed by the said patent are effective to the attainment of the desired end, there is great room for improvement thereover in respect to compactness and arrangement of necessary parts for facility in adjustment and operation, as well as attractive appearance, and utmost comfort to the patient, as will be hereinafter pointed out in detail.

With the foregoing in mind, the principal objects of my present invention include, rst the provision of an adjustable base and standard to support the needle holder associated either with a permanent structure such as a chair or a portable receptacle; second, the provision of a compact and convenient arrangement of battery, and needle holder support in connection either with the chair or portable receptacle, third, the provision of an adjustable operating chair preferably with split cushion on the lower extension to facilitate working on the lower extremities or legs of the patient; fourth, the provision of a receptacle adapted to contain a liquid into which the patient dips the fingers, said receptacle being constructed to provide against burning of the portion of the hand not in the liquid and connectable to the battery in a convenient and easy manner to complete a circuit through the body of the patient, needles, and liquid; fifth, the provision of an operators seat attached to the chair and affording adjustment both laterally and perpendicularly to accommodate the operator in desired positions required or necessary in working on various parts of a patients body; sixth, the provision of a needle holder aifording easy and tight connection with an electric wire connected with the battery.

The foregoing and other objects and advan- 5 tages of the invention and the means for accomplishing the same will be hereinafter referred to and pointed out in detail during the course of the description of the accompanying drawings, in which 10 Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of a chair constructed in accordance with my invention with the battery support, needle holder support, liquid receptacle and operators seat associated therewith; 15

Fig. 2 is a View taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central sectional View through a needle holder embodying one of the features of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the receptacle shown 20 in Fig. 1 connected to the arm of the chair shown in the same ligure;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation and side View with parts broken away of the arm of the chair, receptacle, and electric conductor shown in Fig. 4; 25

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 4 showing the receptacle provided with attaching means for holding it to the arms of chairs for portable use;

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 5 of the receptacle and attaching means shown in Fig'. 6; :lo

Fig. 8 is a View taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of a portable apparatus embodying the invention positioned relative to a chair not embodying the invention; and

Fig. 10 is a front perspective View of the portable apparatus shown in Fig. 9 folded intov the container with the front of the container opened.

In Figs. l and 2, the numeral Il designates a base plate to which are connected the casters or rollers I2 by brackets designated generally by the 4P numeral i3. The base plate Il is of generally triangular form having two corners at the rear of the chair and one at the approximate center of the front of the chair, the casters being located at or adjacent each of the corners. The base Il 1v has mounted or formed thereon upstanding tubular internally screw threaded supports I il, one adjacent each of the rear corners of the base Il and one adjacent the front end of the base. These sockets or supports I4 receive elongated 50 screws l5 which are keyed to the collars I6 of gears il as by pins i8. The upper ends of the screws I5 are journaled in brackets I9 which are rigidly secured to frame 2i! composed of front and back cross members and two side members, as 55 shown best in Fig. 2. The front bracket I9 has a depending arm 2l, the lower end of which is formed with a journal 22 for a shaft 23. Another journal 24 for the shaft 23 is provided on a bracket 25 connected to a cross piece 26 eX- tending between and secured to opposite sides of a guide member hereinafter described.

I'he shaft 23 is adapted for rotation in the bearings 22 and 24 by means of the hand wheel 28 attached to the end of the shaft which projects beyond the frame 21 at the rear of the chair, and the shaft has keyed thereto a gear 29 meshing with the gear I'I, and a gear 30 meshing with the gear Il at the front of the chair. A stub-shaft 3! is journaled through one end of Va bracket 32 connected to the rear cross member of the frame 2) and through one end of bracket 33 connected to a cross bar 34 connected at one end tothe rear cross member of the frame 20, `and. at its other end to an intermediate plate or bar 35 mounted between the side pieces of the frame 20. One end of the shaft 3! `has keyed thereto a'gear or pinion "36 meshing the other rear gear II and to its other end a gear or pinion 31 `meshing with agearI 35 on the shaft 23.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the parts 'I land I4 are fixed or remain stationary on the vii'oor, vwhile the screws I5 when rotated by thegears to which they are keyedvwhen the shaft 23 is rotated will raise the frame 25, andvsince the shaft 23 isjournaled through brackets 25 and i9 connected to the frame, the shaft 23 and the gears connected thereto, as well as the gears on thescrews, will be moved according to the rotation of the shaft 23 and gears driven thereby. Thus the'frame maybe raised or lowered. The seat cushion "38jrests on the sides and front of the frame 29 and intermediate'rod35.

j Between opposite sides Aof frame `20 is mounted ai'ro'd'39` and on this rod are journaled rack bars 40, oneiat' Ieach side of the frame. Said bars each having attachedtovan upwardprojection 4I a lifandler42 4and having at their rear `endsand beyond the surface thereof'notches 43. A back rest frame 44 composed of 'opposite side pieces connected `by'rods 45 on vwhich rest'the cushions 46, has depending arms 4'I-ateach side, and each 'of 'the' arms 4.7 carries a stud 48 to engage with thenotches 43 acc'ordingjtotheadjustment of `the back, as'hereinafter explained. The back rest frame 44 is `pivotally mounted on brackets 2'I carried on frame 20.

44 adjustable relative to frame 44. A pivot 48 ivsplrovidedV on the projection 49 on each side frame 44ft'o'c`arry the frame portion 44v thus enabling this portion of the back rest to be slightly 'adjusted and is held 'in position by means of the Wingnut 50 and the arcuate slot 5l on the ends of frame v44.

Atoa "bolt 6I 'extending through the side of the iranien. A coil spring 62 surrounds eachof the boltsfSI andhas one end anchored at 63 to the bolt and its other end anchored at 64 to the rame'20. l l

Theop'eration of vthe back re'st'iand arm rest that is, cushion leg supports 56. leg supports 6E has p-ivotally connected to its bot- 15 tom a rack bar 61 having teeth 68 providing The back rest frame 44 ,is in two parts having an extension frame member voperator to be Seated oneither side of the chair, 5

'11 will slide' through the bosses 18.

vwhichever is being used, will move about the pvot pin 80.

aocase supports is as follows: If it is desired to lower the back, the lever or the handles 42 are grasped and turned to lift the rack 43 so that the notch 43 which is in engagement with the stud 48 will be lifted clear thereof. lowered to the desired position, and the rack bars 40 are permitted to drop, so that a notch 43 will engage the stud 48, During up and down movement of the back, the link 5l is moved forward or backward and t ereby imparting oscillating 10 movement to the link 6D. At the front of the chair and to the front cross member of the frame 20 are connected by hinges @5 a pair of leg rests, Each of the notches for adjustable engagement with a cross bar G9 at the front of the chair. Thus, the operator may raise or lower either or both of the cushion members 65 by manipulation of the rack 20 bar Tlf, that is, by raising the rack bar from engagement with the cross `bar 69 the teeth may pass the cross bar so that the rack bar will slide downbeneath the chair and the cushion member swing-down'against theiront of the chair.

In Figs. land '2, I have shown one of the cushion members raised and the other one lowered. Thepurpose of this arrangement is for convenience in working on the legs of the patient. For further convenience in working on the legs of 30 'tlfepatient I provide an operators stool having -through bosses i8 on an arm 13, one end of which isfprovided with an opening to receive a pivot pin 8'0 mounted in a boss/8| on the base II. A second arm 82 identical in construction with the 45 arin "I9 is also mounted on the pin 3! and provided with bosses 'T8' through which is mounted a Vrod v'TI'. 'pin 80' toward the front corners of the chair, there The arms E3 and 32 extend from the being'on'e on each side of the socket I4, and it 50 should be obvious from the foregoing, that the varmsY are' swingable on the pin 83 to move toward and away from the socket I4, and hence laterally relative to the leg supports G5. rI'his permits the and -one stoolvmay beutilized instead of providing two' stools as it is only necessary to unscrew the set screw 15,'so that the stool may be moved 'away from the rod 'I l and rolled over to the other 'side of the chair and connected to the rod 'II by stool may be 'moved toward and away from the chair, and as above explained, the stool may be v also rolledtoward and away from the foot rest 66, during which movement the arms 'I9 and 82,

Reverting 'to'l the U-shaped track 2l which embraces 'the sides'and back of the chair, this track is vof channel formation and is secured to and supported by the frame 24, through the medium 75 The back is then dropped or 5 Thus the 65 of plates or brackets 84 at the front ends of the frame and similar plates or brackets 84 at the rear of the frame. A C-shaped carrier 85 is mounted around the frame 27 and has connected thereto rollers 85 by means of bolts or pins 31, so that the carrier may be moved along the track 21. The long arm of the carrier 8&3 is connected to or supports a socket 89 which receives the lower end or stem of a base The top of the base supports a distributor cap SI having a central electrode, not shown, to which is electrically connected as through the connector 92, one end of the cable 93, the other end of which is connected to one terminal of the battery B. Also within the distributor cap are a plurality of electrical contacts connected to the central contact and/or leading through a tubular exten-sion 94 of the base 9,9 to the needle holders, as hereinafter explained, there being one wire leading to each needle. A tubular arm 95 hasa coupling member 95 connected to its lower end and the lower end of the coupling member is forked to receive the end of the extension ed for pivotal connection thereto by pin or bolt di. The upper end of the arm 95 has a coupling 98 similar to the coupling 96 secured thereto and also pivotally connected at 99 to another coupling member Ill@ which receives a tubular arm IEiI. Another coupling member IQZ is secured to the other end of the arm I ill and is pivotally connected to another coupling I-33 at mi. The coupling ISS is connected to a third arm 55, on the outer end of which is an upright short tubular section I, the end IUT of which is connected to the arm IE5. The supports for the needle holders are designated generally by the numeral HI8 and are constructed in accordance with the disclosure or" my prior Patent 1,070,370 for adjustable movement to position the needles, the supports being pivoted on the section It as disclose-d in my said patent. The individual needle holders 69 are shown in detail in Fig. 3 and will be presently described.

The entire needle support, that is, the group of arms Hi8 may be swung pivotally on the part |06 and the arm Iil may be adjusted individually with respect to the arm lill, or the arms H35 and IM may be adjusted collectively with respect to the arm 95 on the pivot 99 and the arm 95 in turn may be adjusted on the pivot 97. The arms i438 would preferably be made of Bakelite or other similar material of light weight, and or" such character that it may be easily cleansed, and, of course, all ofthe metallic parts may be nished in chromium or any other desired and attractive sanitary material.

'I wish to call attention to the fact that the chair including the frame 2d and track 2 move as a unit up and down according to the rotation of the shaft 23, and the operator can move the entire needle supporting apparatus to convenient positions according to the location of the part of the body to which the needles are to be applied, simply by moving the base Sil to the left or right to cause the carrier 35 to travel along the track.

As has been mentioned, an electrolysis treatment for the removal of hair requires the cornpletion of a circuit through the body of the patient, and as has been described, the needles are connected through the wires leading through the tubular arms 35, IIIII, Id, and suspended from the arms Ii to one terminal of the battery. The other terminal oi the battery is connected by a cable or wire IIl to a bracket III which receives the basin I I2 of electric conducting material and which bracket supports a contact engaging said basin, so that when Water is placed in the basin and the patients hand is partly immersed in-x water, the circuit is completed.

In Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, there is shown in detail the preferred embodiment of the manner 5 of constructing and mounting the basin or receptable IIE, wherein the bracket III is shown attached to the arm of the chair by screws I I 3. The top of the receptacle or basin I I2 is provided with a bead or annular flange IIII which rests upon 10 shoulder I i5 of a supporting collar I I6 formed of non-conducting material. The cable III! is shown connected to the bracket III by a clamp II?, and it will be noted that a plate IIS is secured to the bracket to contact the receptacle l5 SI2, this plate being in contact with the connector I I 9 which receives the clamp I I. The collar IIS has beneath a portion of its curved rim IZII, depending blocks or enlargements IZI provided with bores IEE which receive upstanding pins I23 20.

on the bracket I I I to removably mount the receptacle or basin in place on the arm of the chair, so that the patients hand may conveniently rest on the non-conducting collar I I5 with the fingers immersed in the liquid in the receptacle I I2. The 25 foregoing construction and arrangement of the basin or receptacle is not only extremely convenient and simple, but also prevents injury to the patients hand, because the skin will not be burned as would be the case if the hand were 30' resting on the metal receptacle.

In Figs. 6 an-d '7, there is shown a basin or receptacle constructed exactly in accordance with that shown in Figs. 4 and 5, but illustrating how the same receptacle may be employed for portable 35- use. In other werds, the mounting bracket III oi Figs. 4 and 5 is especially designed for permanent installation on a chair. By providing a hanging support I25 in the nature of a rubber covered metal strip bent to provide a relatively 40 wide U-shaped portion to engage over the arm of the chair and having upstanding portions I to engage in the sockets I22, the same receptacle may be used for portable use in any home, such use being illustrated in Fig. 9, where the support 45 I25 is shown on the arm of a chair and holding the' receptacle at the side of the arm so that the patient may dip the fingers in the water in the manner previously explained.

As has been mentioned, an important object 50 of the invention is to so construct and arrange essential parts of the apparatus that they may be used not only with a. permanent installation such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 but also for portable use, that is, may be carried in compact form 55 within a case, so that it may be transported with facility and operated in giving home treatments. Such a form of the invention is shown in Figs. 9 and 1G, wherein the numeral 28 designates generally the case composed of bottom, side, and 60 end pieces rigidly' connected and a side IES] hingedly connected to the bottom and a top ISI.) hingedly connected to the other side. Toggles ISI are connected to the side I2@ and the ends, so that when the side is swung down into position 65 as shown in Fig. 9, it will assist in maintaining the apparatus in upright position for operation. A bracket IS2 is connected to the interior of one of the ends and carries a socket |33 to receive the stem of the base l' which is the same as the base Si@ of Fig. 1, having the lateral extension S4 housing wires from the distributor cap SI', which wires also are housed by the tubular arm 95 pivotally connected to the extension 94 at Ill', the same as in Fig. l. Coupling 98 is pivot- 75 -of the case.

ally connected at 90 to a coupling |00 and the coupling 9.8' is carried by a tubular member |34 telescopically fitting within the arm 95 and slidable in and out of the arm 95. With the exception of this telescoping arrangement of the parts 95 and |32, the other parts of the needle carrier and standard are the same as in Fig. l, that is, the parts |0|, |02', |03', |04', |05', |06', |01" and |08 are the same as corresponding unprimed parts in Fig. l and operate in exactly the same manner in making adjustment of the needle holder with respect to the chair in which the patient is seated. The stem of the base 90 is swiveled in the socket |33, so that the sectional standard may be swung around from the position of Fig. l0 where the parts are folded into the case to the position of Fig. 9 or in other position between the walls of the case adjacent the bracket |32. The receptacle in which the patients -ngers are to be immersed is of the type shown in Figs. 6 and '7, and the curved arms are shown engaged over the arm vof a chair. The cable I0 leads from lthe contact on the receptacle 'to one terminal of the battery B which is mounted on the bottom The other cable 93 connects the other terminal of the battery to the central electrode on the distributor cap on the base 90', the same as in Fig, l, and the base is mounted adjacent the top of the case a suliicient distance to leave a space to receive the receptacle and vsupport |25 when the parts are folded within the case for transportation.

The operator may keep the complete apparatus, shown in Fig. 10, at his or her place of business, folded and packed within the case in the manner shown in Fig, l0, so that when it is necessary to go out to give a treatment, he or she merely takes the case to the patients home, opens the top |30, swings the side |29 down until the vtoggles |3| lock, then swings the arms 95', |0|', |05' -up and out of the case, then swings the arm 10| on its pivot 99' and the arm |05 on its Ypivot |04', and adjusts the needle carriers |08 to the desired position. The bar |34 may be elevated out of the arm 95' if it is necessary to gain additional elevation of the needle carrier |08. The receptacle is lifted out of the case and connected to the support |25 which is engaged over the arm of the chair and then after the liquid has been poured into the receptacle the apparatus is ready for use. This all takes a very short time and is done with facility, due to the convenient arrangement of the connections between the arms for adjustment. When the operation has been completed, the receptacle may be emptied and the sectional standard folded into the case in the position of Fig. 10 and they receptacle packed and the case closed.

An individual needle holder made in accordance with my present invention is shown in detail in Fig. 3, where the numeral |35 designates a nger grip portion or tip :made of non-conducting material, such as Bakelite, having a ybore |36 internally screw threaded and communicating with `an aperture |31 through which is mounted the needle |38. A metal shell |39 is provided with a reduced screw threaded chuck end |40 ttingrwithin the bore 136. vIt will be noted that the clutch portion |40 and the bore |36 are tapered and each has cooperating screw threads so that when the clutch portion |40 is screwed into the bore |36 it will be contracted to firmly grip the shank of the needle |38, which extends also through an aperture |4| in the shell |39. The outer end of the shell |39 is provided tric battery on the frame at the rear of the chair,

with a screw threaded bore |42 which receives the bushing |4'3 having an opening in its end, so that the cable or wire leading to the needle from the distributor cap may be inserted through said opening and disposed within the bushing which 5 is also screw threaded inside to receive a pointed screw |44 which is slotted at |45 to receive a screw driver vso that the screw may be tightened up to drivethe point against the wires and firmly clamp them within the bushing, thus assuring a good and direct Contact.

To assemble the needle holders shown in Fig. 3, that is, to connect it to the wires leading from the distributor, the shell |39 is disconnected from the tip |35 by unscrewing the chuck or clamp |40 out of the bore |36 so that the needle may be inserted through the aperture |40, opening in the chuck, and aperture |31. The plug |43 is screwed out of the bore |42, the wire is inserted through the opening in the plug |43 and the pointed screw |44 is screwed down until the vpoint wedges the ends of the wires. The shell |39 is then attached to the plug |43 and the tip |35 is screwed on to the chuck |40 until the chuck firmly clamps the needle which is also in contact 25 with the screw |44.

I claim:

l. Electrolysis apparatus comprising a chair, a track supported by said chair, a carrier movably mounted on said track, a standard supported 30 by said carrier, and a needle holder carried by said standard `for movement therewith along th-e chair.

`2. Apparatus for use in electrolysis comprising a substantially U-shaped track to embrace a chair or the like, a carrier movably mounted on said track, a standard supported by said carrier, and a needle Vsupport on said standard movable therewith to `positions on both arms of and intermediate-points on the track.

3. In combination with a chair having a supporting frame and base, a U-shaped track secured to the 'frame in spaced relation thereto with its arms at the sides of the chair and its intermediate portion at the rear of the chair, a carrier 45 movably mounted on said track, and an electrolysis needle holder standard mounted on the carrier for movements therewith to points on opposite sides of the chair and at the rear of the chair.

. 4.`In combination with a chair having a supporting frame and a base, a support for an electric battery on the frame at the rear of the chair,

a track attached to the frame in spaced relation thereto and to said battery support, a carrier movably mounted on the track, a standard support mounted in said carrier for movement therewith, electric contacts on said standard support, one -of said contacts being adapted for connection with the battery to permit movement of the standard support on the track relative toy said frame, chair-and battery.

5. In combination with a chair having a sup porting frame and a base, a support for an eleca track attached to the `frame in spaced relation thereto and to said battery support, a carrier movably mounted on the track, a standard support mounted on said carrier for movement therewith, electric contacts on said standard support, one of said contacts being adapted for connection with the battery tov permit movement of the standard support on the track relative to said .framechair and battery, and means for elevating and lowering said frame, chair, track, stand- "15 ard support and battery support simultaneously.

6. Electrolysis equipment comprising a chair, a supporting frame for the chair, a support for an electric battery on the frame, a bracket on the arm of the chair te receive a receptacle, means for establishing an electrical connection between the receptacle and battery, said means being carred by the bracket, a track supported by the frame adjacent the chair, a standard for elec-t trolyss needles movably mounted on the track, and means also electrically connecting the needles and battery.

ELLA LOUISE WILLISON. 

